This site provides information about Rio Carnival 2008, about all aspects of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Find here all Rio Carnaval
events, venues, its
history,
2008 Rio Carnival tickets,
costumes for the 2008
Samba Parade and
Sambodromo information, accomplished with insiders´ recommendations. Listen to the
2008 samba songs. All
FAQ answered about Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
More>>>The Brazilian
Carnival (
Portuguese: Carnaval) is an annual festival in
Brazil held 40 days before
Easter and marks the beginning of
Lent. During Lent,
Roman Catholics are supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures, including the consumption of meat. The carnival, celebrated as a profane event and believed to have its origins in the
pagan Saturnalia, can thus be considered an act of farewell to the pleasures of the flesh.
Brazilian Carnival as a whole exhibits some differences with its counterparts in Europe and other parts of the world, and within Brazil it has distinct regional manifestations.
MORE>>>Carnival is a festival season. It occurs immediately before
Lent; the main events are usually during February or March. It typically involves a public
celebration or
parade combining some elements of a
circus and public street party. People often dress up or
masquerade during the celebrations.
Carnival is mostly associated with
Roman Catholic and, to a lesser extent,
Eastern Orthodox Christians;
Protestant areas usually do not have carnival celebrations or have modified traditions, like the
Danish Carnival. The world's
largest carnival celebration is held in
Brazil but many countries worldwide have large, popular celebrations, such as
Carnival of Venice.
MORE>>>BRAZIL TRAVEL GUIDE: OVERVIEW LONELY PLANET WorldGUIDERIO CARNIVAL 2008 Samba Songs